


hey jude

by etselec



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Cas works at a daycare, Fluff, Kidfic, M/M, dean works at an office
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-22
Updated: 2014-03-22
Packaged: 2018-01-16 15:45:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1352953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etselec/pseuds/etselec
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean made a mistake.<br/>Suddenly he's got a daughter, four years old now.<br/>That, and now his kid's got a hot teacher named Mr. Castiel Novak.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**4 Years Ago**

“Sam, I don’t know what to do,” Dean paced in front of his couch. “Lisa left. She just… _left._ ”

 

Dean sat down on his plush blue couch, looking to the side. He moved the hat on the baby’s head, higher up above her forehead. “Now I got a kid to take care of, and my job at the office is for sure gone. I need your help.”

 

“Dean, there’s nothing I can do. I’m studying in South America with Jess in three days,” Sam said. He crouched down and took a seat on the floor. “I’m gonna be gone for five years, Dean. You’re going to have to ask Dad or maybe even Uncle Bobby and Aunt Ellen. I - I don’t know what else to tell you.” 

 

Dean shook his head, fighting back tears. “Sh-she was born literally two days ago. I have no crib, no clothes - I mean, I just bought this carseat carrier thing at five a.m. this morning.” He sighed, his breath coming out shaky. “I don’t -”

 

“Dean, here’s what I’m going to do,” Sam shook his brother’s shoulders. “I’m gonna call Jo, Uncle Bobby’s daughter and our cousin. Remember?”

 

Dean nodded, feeling weak. “Sam, I know who she is.”

 

Sam sat down next to Dean’s baby. “Does she have a name?”

 

“Yeah,” Dean’s voice cracked. “I mean, yeah, her name’s Jude. L-like ‘Hey Jude’ by The Beatles. The song Mom used to sing to us.”

 

“Okay,” Sam swallowed. “I’ll tell Jo to come and help you tomorrow. You guys can go buy baby stuff for Jude.” Sam looked down at his watch. “I have to go to work, Dean. Good luck.” And just like that, Sam was gone. 

 

Jude started to cry.

 

Dean sighed.

 

**Present**

“Daddy, Daddy look!” 

 

“What is it, hon?” Dean picked his daughter up and placed her on the counter.

 

The four year old girl shoved a crumpled sheet of paper in Dean’s face. “Dad, I drew you, Sam, Grandma Ellen and Grandpa Bobby.” She put her sticky finger on each of the person’s pink and purple and green painted faces.

 

“That’s beautiful, Jude. You really are an artist.”

 

Jude giggled. “Dad, you’re silly. I want to be an _astronaut_ when I grow up. Not an artist!”

 

“Oh really?” Dean opened up his laptop and checked his email. 

 

Jude leaned towards his laptop. “Whatcha lookin’ at Daddy?”

 

“Nothing, it’s just a message from Grandpa.”

 

“Oh,” Jude looked down and swung her legs back and forth. “I heard you and Grandpa talking on the phone. Are you really gonna make me go to the daycare? Where’s Grandpa and Grandma going?”

 

Dean’s face grew warm. “Well, Grandpa and Grandma are moving to Wisconsin, and there’s no one to keep an eye on you when I’m going to work. So, I’m going to take you to a daycare.”

 

Jude made a frustrated _hmph_. “Dad! I don’t _need_ watching! I can take care of myself!”

 

“Sweetie,” Dean sighed, shutting his laptop, “there will be plenty of people your age to play with.”

 

“I don’t _want_ people to play with!” Jude whined. She started to cry. “Daddy, I don’t wanna! I don’t wanna!”

 

“I’m sorry, Jude baby.”

 

Jude folded her arms. “I’m going to my room forever!”

 

“Hey, Jude!” Dean yelled after his daughter, chasing her to her bedroom (Dean almost started laughing when he realized what he said, but that would’ve been inappropriate). “We’re going tomorrow, Jude. I’m making pancakes tomorrow, too.”

 

“Pancakes!” Jude burst out of her room, a smile suddenly plastered on her face. “With sprinkles too?”

 

“Sure thing,” Dean smiled. He ruffled up Jude’s hair. “Now go play. We gotta go to bed early. There’s full day ahead of us.”

 

Jude bit her lip. “Okay Dad, fine. I’ll see if I like it at the daycare,” Her ponytail swished around as she moved her head. “Just for you and Sam and Grandpa and Grandma and… and…”

 

“Honey, go play with your ponies. Aunt Jo got them for you,” Dean bent down and wiped the tears away from Jude’s cheeks.

 

Jude grinned and ran off, shutting her bedroom door. Dean sighed and his shoulders slumped down. It was a friggin miracle that Jude had actually gone along with going to daycare. He had just avoided a potential disaster.

 

The very next day, Dean got dressed for work and knocked on Jude’s door, slowly creeping in. “Jude,” he hummed. “Jude.” Dean repeated. 

 

“Huh? Is it time to go already?” Jude sat up with one eye closed, her hair a mess.

 

“You forgot about pancakes,” Dean replied, grinning.

 

“Pancakes! I just remembered!” Jude ran out of bed and hugged her dad. “Thank you Daddy! I love you.”

 

“Love you too, Judey,” Dean picked up his daughter and took ingredients out of the fridge. 

 

Soon after, Jude and Dean sat at the kitchen table eating pancakes with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. Jude took a mouthful of pancakes and bounced up and down in her seat. “Mmm! These are the best pancakes in the _world!_ ” 

 

Dean smiled. He looked down at his empty plate. He got up to put it in the sink. 

 

What a boring life he had. 

 

Jude was the only person so far that he had. Sam was still in South America for another year, Uncle Bobby and Aunt Ellen are moving to Wisconsin, and Dad - Dean wasn’t even the one to tell him that he had a daughter. He hasn’t talked to him in years; Jude probably doesn’t know that he exists. “Jude, once you finish your pancakes and milk, please get your backpack from your room. I have to put your lunch in there.”

 

“‘kay,” Jude soon scooted her chair out and dashed back up to her room and snatched her backpack from one of her coat hooks. “Here Daddy!”

 

“Thank you. Hey, peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese?” Dean asked as Jude was about to go.

 

“Um… Ham and cheese!” And then she was gone, running off to the bathroom to brush her hair. 

 

-

 

“Hello, we’re new here. My daughter’s name is, uh, Jude Winchester.”

 

“Jude… Winchester… Ah! Here she is!” Dean peered down at the desk lady’s name tag. 

 

Apparently her name was Meg. Dean lifted Jude up higher. 

 

“Follow me please.” Meg stood up and proceeded towards the hallway.

 

Dean dropped Jude onto the ground and held her hand. She hadn’t said a word since they left the house.

 

“Jude, right?” Meg looked down at Dean’s daughter.

 

Jude nodded, hiding behind her dad.

 

Meg smiled. “It’s okay, hon, I don’t bite.”

 

Jude didn’t move. 

 

Meg looked up at Dean sympathetically. “Well. Jude’ll be in Room 5, which is the 3-5 year olds. The instructors’ names are Mr. Castiel Novak and Ms. Anna Milton, but I’ve found that most kids call them Mr. Cas and Ms. Anna.” Meg walked briskly down the hall then suddenly stopped. “Here we are!” Meg opened the door, stepping inside. Children were giggling and talking. They stopped as soon as Dean and Jude walked in. 

 

“Damn,” a redheaded lady whispered, clearly checking out Dean. A brown haired guy nudged her in ribs. 

 

“Hello everyone, we have a new friend. Come here Jude.”

 

Dean urged her to move up. 

 

“Her name is Jude and she is -” Meg leaned down to Jude’s height. “How old are you?”

 

Jude hesitated but then whispered back, “four.”

 

“- and she is _four_ years old.”

 

Children stared back blankly, some continuing to play games. 

 

Meg tugged on Dean’s sleeve and pulled him to the two people standing near a counter. “This is Ms. Anna. And this is Mr. Cas - the instructors and caretakers of this room.”

 

“Hi, I’m Dean Winchester,” Dean held out his hand to Anna and she shook his hand promptly, throwing in a smile. He turned to shake Cas’ hand and his ears tinged pink. He looked straight into Cas’ bright blue eyes and noticed his sad smile. Dean blushed, looking down. He looked back up and smiled, then looked down again. 

 

“Hello,” Cas said. God, was his voice deep. He wondered how it would sound if he took him home and -

 

“Mr. Winchester? Is there anything else you need?” Meg asked, adjusting her glasses.

 

“Yeah, is there anything else you need?” Anna pushed Cas forward. Cas looked to the side, then turned around.

 

“No, so I think I’ll be off,” Dean looked over to Jude, who was already gone, playing “House” with some little brunette girl. “Thanks.” Dean looked to Mr. Cas, batting his eyes. He smirked, sprinting out of the room.

 

-

 

“Oh my God,” Anna whispered as soon as Dean left. “Did you see the new girl’s dad? He takes Hot Dads to a whole new level.”

 

Cas rolled his eyes, filling a five year old’s cup with fruit juice. “He was okay, I guess.”

 

“You kidding me, Cassy?” Anna gaped. She grabbed the box of Cheez-Its. “Alright everyone! Cheez-Its and fruit juice!”

 

“Yay!” the children screamed. Jude was last in line, staring quietly at the ceiling.

 

“So anyways, that Dean Winchester guy was totally flirting with you. It was almost painful to watch. But you can have him, I don’t care anymore,” Anna gave Jude her juice. 

 

“Thank you, Ms. Anna.”

 

Anna nodded, patting young Jude on the head.

 

Cas sighed. “Fine. Say that he was ‘flirting’ with me. So what?”

 

“So _what?_ ” Anna shrieked. “You haven’t been in a relationship since Balthazar!”

 

Cas blushed. “I really don’t think Mr. Winchester was flirting with me, actually.”

 

“Don’t believe it,” Anna grabbed a rag and starting wiping down the table.


	2. Chapter 2

Dean ran as fast as he could to the train station. He already missed the first train and the second train would be here any minute. Dean’s head pounded and his legs burned. He had to pick up his daughter from daycare and he couldn’t be late - he could _not_ be _late_. Dean nearly tripped down the stairs. He heard the familiar sound of “Doors Closing” - the robotic voice of a woman on the train.

“No, no, no, n -” The doors of the train shut and Dean banged his head against a pole and flopped down on the bench seat. _You friggin idiot, Dean Winchester._

 

“Miss your train, man?” The man next to him asked.

 

“Yeah,” Dean replied, looking down at the cement floor. “And I gotta pick up my daughter from daycare in -” he looked at his watch. He sighed, “- five minutes.”

 

The man whistled. “Wow that sucks. Dude, ‘m sorry.”

 

“It’s fine… I’ll just… just ...” Dean never finished his sentence. He held his head in his hands.   
Half an hour later, the third train arrived and Dean got in, crestfallen and tired. He just wanted to go home. 

 

When the train finally reached his destination, he got into his car from the parking lot and sped to the daycare, definitely breaking the speed limit. “I’m so sorry, Jude,” Dean grumbled into the road. He parked into the first available space in the daycare parking lot, his tires stopping with a _screech_. Dean whipped open the doors and ran past the darkened office and past all of the rooms. He realized that every light in every room was off except for one.

 

“Jude,” Dean said, opening the door to Room 5. 

 

“Daddy!” Jude ran head first into Dean’s stomach, her face wet with tears. 

 

Dean bent down to Jude’s level. “Jude, are you alright? I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

 

Jude sniffled and nodded. 

 

Dean looked around for an adult or someone. Jude was the only kid in the room. It had probably been an hour since everyone had gone. “Hello? Is anyone here?”

 

“Yes, yes. I’m sorry, I am here.” The handsome Mr. Cas showed himself from behind a bookshelf. Is it possible that he looked hotter than this morning? 

 

Dean’s face reddened. “Hey - I mean, sir, I’m sorry to keep you after hours like this. I missed my train,” Dean shuffled around the classroom, his hand entangled with Jude’s. 

 

“Oh, it’s fine, I’m usually here now anyways cleaning up and whatnot.” 

 

“Well, how much do I have to pay for, uh, Jude stayin’ this long?”

 

Cas swallowed. “Usually it’s $10 every hour after five o’clock, but I’m sure I can make an exception for a sweet girl like Jude,” he smiled. “I can see where she gets it from.”

 

“Oh. Thank you very much,” Dean blushed with a sudden realization, “hey, was that a compliment, Mr. Cas?” 

 

“Maybe,” Cas replied gruffly. He scratched the back of his neck, a rubber duck in hand. 

 

Dean hummed. “I’ll see you around, Cas.”

 

Jude turned around and blurted out, “thank you Mr. Cas.”

 

“No problem, Jude.”

 

Dean grinned, his back turned from Cas. Jude skipped to the parking lot beside him. “You seem happy, hon. How was your day? Did you make any friends?”

 

“Yeah! I did! Their names are Ben, Ruby, Mr. Cas, Ms. Anna, Kevin, and Tiffany.”

 

“Really now?” Dean helped buckle Jude into her seat. He grinned, closing the car door. He buckled himself in the front seat. “Was it fun?”

 

“It was so fun! I played and played and we learned about shapes and numbers. Mr. Cas brought his pet cat, too!”

 

“Awesome,” Dean backed out of the parking lot. “What about Ms. Anna?”

 

“Well she was nice but she was _really, really_ weird.”

 

“Weird? That’s not nice, sweetie, we don’t call -”

 

“Actually she and Mr. Cas were both weird,” Jude stopped talking for a second, staring at something out the window. “All they did was talk about… about _you!_ ”

 

“Me?” Dean furrowed his eyebrows.

 

“Yeah! _You_ Daddy!”

 

“How so?”

 

“Well, Ms. Anna was talking to Mr. Cas saying that you were handsome and I was thinking that it was crazy because you’re my Dad and that’s _weird!_ And then Ms. Anna was talking about how Mr. Cas _liked_ you and though that you were hot, but how are you hot? You’re not like on fire or something. And then I thought that it was strange because how can Mr. Cas like you? He’s a boy and you’re a boy. I got confused because I thought only boys and girls can like each other. Is that true?”

 

“No, baby, some boys can like boys, and some girls can like girls.”

 

Judes eyes widened. “Really? That’s cool! Wait, so anyways, Mr. Cas said that he _did_ like you, and finally, I walked over there and said, ‘Mr. Cas, do you like my Daddy?’ and he said, ‘I don’t know, Jude’. Then he asked me if I had a Mommy and I said no because you told me that she disappeared. And that’s why I think they’re weird.”

 

Dean was freaked out for three reasons. One - that was the most amount of words Jude had ever said in her life. Two - how the hell can a four year old remember all of that? And three - The hot teacher likes him, too? Wow, all of the sudden Dean was back in highschool with a huge crush on the star jock on the football team. He remembers it clearly, except now it was a teacher/caretaker and Dean’s just some dumb guy who works in an office. 

 

“Wow, some first day, huh?”

 

“Some _amazing_ first day! Are we going back tomorrow?”

 

“Of course, Jude. Of course.”

 

“Yes! I thought that it would be not good, but it was good and I’m really excited now!” Jude swung her legs into the back of the passenger seat.

 

“I’m glad you like it there,” Dean replied, his chest feeling warm. He’s got a happy daughter and a very handsome teacher who supposedly has a crush on him. This was going better than Dean had a expected.


	3. Chapter 3

On the second day, Dean didn’t have to wake up Jude. She woke up by herself, already dressed and ready for pancakes with whipped cream and sprinkles. So Dean was surprised when he found Jude at the kitchen table with a fork smiling and bouncing in her seat humming to “Hey Jude”. 

 

“Woah! Hey there Jude!” Dean hadn’t even straightened his tie yet. “I’ll make your pancakes in a minute.” He placed a kiss on the top of her head.

 

“It’s okay. I can wait here.”

 

Dean smiled warmly, a fuzzy feeling in his stomach indicated that if he knew one thing for sure, it was that he raised his daughter right. “Thank you, sweetie.”

 

As soon as the first pancake was in the frying pan, Dean’s phone rang. He flipped over the pancake then dashed over to the kitchen table to pick up his cellphone. “Yeah hello?”

 

“Dean, it’s me, Sam.”

 

“Sam! Shouldn’t you be discovering exotic plants or something?” Dean sandwiched his phone between his ear and his shoulder. He put the pancake onto a plate. 

 

“Actually, Jess and I are coming home in a couple days.” 

 

“Huh? Why? You still got like six months.”

 

“I don’t know, Jess is… Jess is… uh,” Sam coughed, “she’s pregnant.”

 

Dean nearly dropped the plate. “Pregnant? Sam, what did I tell you about using protection!”

 

“No, no Dean, you don’t understand! I want the baby, I want a child.”

 

“Was it an accident, Sam?” Dean got the whipped cream out of the fridge and the sprinkles out of the cabinet. He decorated the pancake just the way Jude wanted it.

 

“Well... It-it was, but Jess and I both decided that we're ready to take care of a kid. We’ve seen Jude on Skype and we decided that we can do it.”

 

“Okay, if that’s what you want.” Dean placed the plate in front of Jude. “I gotta go Sam. I’ll talk to you later. Bye.”

 

“Bye, Dean. Jess sends her love.”

 

Dean hung up the phone and poured a glass of milk. He handed it to Jude who nodded happily.

 

“Who were you talking to?” Jude asked, her mouth full of pancakes.

 

“Oh, it was just Uncle Sam and d’you remember his girlfriend? Aunt Jess?”

 

“Mm-hmm! The one with the blonde hair?”

 

“Yes, how did you remember that?” Dean teased. He scruffed up her hair. Dean took a seat across from Jude, and began to sip his coffee.

 

She giggled. “Daddy, are you and Mr. Cas gonna kiss yet?”

 

Dean spit his coffee right back into his cup. “What? I barely know him.”

 

“But Mr. Cas likes you, right? So don’t you like him too?”

 

“Sure, hon.”

 

“Then why don’t you kiss him?”

 

“I think he’d be very, very surprised if I kissed him.”

 

“But I think he’d _like_ if you kissed him.”

 

“Maybe, Jude. Now eat your pancakes.”

 

-

 

Meg looked up from her computer screen. “Hey, honeybunch!” She patted Jude’s head and grinned.

 

“G’morning Ms. Meg!”

 

She laughed, “what a cutie,” Meg batted her eyes at Dean.

 

“I know, she’s been excited to come over here.”

 

“That’s wonderful, you must really like it here, huh Jude?”

 

“Yep!”

 

“Well, I gotta do my work, have fun now,” Meg turned around to her computer screen. 

 

Dean held Jude’s hand as they walked to Room 5. Dean couldn’t help his stomach from fluttering. It was rather strange because it was just Cas; like he’d ever have a chance with a total sexgod like that. Plus, he only sees him for five minutes a day in total. 

 

Dean started to smile. “Hi there - oh.” Jude ran full force to her brunette friend as they laughed and hugged each other (they grow up so fast!).

 

Anna ran up to Dean. “Well, there she goes,” She looked over her shoulder at Cas who blinked and shook his head. Finally, he came over. 

 

“Hello, Mr. Winchester,” Cas smiled, blushing wildly.

 

“Hi Cas. You can call me Dean,” Dean backed up, bumping into a table. “Oops sorry. I -” 

 

“Cas would like to discuss parent/teacher conferences with you in the hall,” Anna blurted out. “Right, Cas?” She raised an eyebrow.

 

“Oh. _Oh._ Uh, yes, Dean, follow me.”

 

Dean checked his watch. Eh, he could be a little late to work if it meant spending time alone with Mr. Sexiest-Man-Alive. Dean walked out into the hall with Cas.

 

“So, uh, we have parent/teacher conferences available next week on Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday.”

 

Dean paid only half attention - he was too busy focusing on the man’s perfect lips. “What? Oh, uh, what time on, erm, Thursday. After 6:30 preferably.”

 

“We have a slot available at 6:45.”

 

“Awesome. Sign me up.”

 

Cas scribbled something on his clipboard. He was just about to head back into the classroom when Dean placed a hand on his shoulder. “Uh, well, since we’re talking about dates and times, I- I’m just going to come out and say it,” Dean sighed. “I’d like to get to know you better, Cas. Wanna catch a movie or something sometime?”

 

Cas was silent for a second, his mind processing this new information. Slowly his cheeks turned pink and he smiled. “I’d love to. Let me give you my number.” Cas ripped off a part of paper from under something on his clipboard. He wrote his number and tucked it in Dean’s breast pocket.

 

Dean winked at him, and sauntered off and out of the daycare. 

 

Cas slipped back into the classroom. 

 

Anna was the first to notice him. “Wow, you guys were gone a little too long,” she lowered her voice, “did you guys make out?”

 

“No, we did _not!”_ Cas folded his arms. “But I did give him my number.”

 

“Cas!” Anna wrapped her arms around him. “Finally! I thought that it’d never happen!”

 

“Well, Dean was the one to ask me out, I just offered my number.”

 

“But still!” Anna backed away from Cas. “We have to celebrate with drinks! Fruit juice or chocolate milk?”

 

Cas rolled his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

“Sam! It’s good to finally see you in person!” Dean hugged his brother. He then picked up Jude and introduced the non-computerized version of Uncle Sam to her. “Jude, this is Uncle Sam.”

 

“Hi, Uncle Sam!”

 

“Jude!” Sam lifted her out of Dean’s arms and twirled her around, finally placing her gently on the ground.

 

“Oh hey Jess! Still beautiful as ever.” Dean leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

 

“Thanks Dean, you’re not too bad yourself.”

 

Dean chuckled. “Come in everyone, make yourself, uh, comfortable!”

 

Jess sat down on Dean’s couch and Sam sat down next to her, wrapping his long arm around her shoulders. Dean sat down in his armchair, bouncing Jude on his knee.

 

“So Dean, Jude - how are you guys?”

 

“I’m good!” Jude blurted out. “Daddy likes a guy! Can you believe that Uncle Sam?”  
“Jude, I never said I liked -”

 

“Woah, woah, woah wait a minute,” Sam interrupted, “Dean, you’re into guys now?”

 

“Sam, I thought you knew I was, erm, bi.”

 

“Yeah, but after Lisa -”

 

“Can-can you please not mention her around… J-U-D-E?” Dean shut his eyes and then opened them.

 

“Oh-oh my God, I’m sorry, Dean.”

 

Dean shook his head. “It’s fine.”

 

“Dean,” Jess prompted, “do you have a new boyfriend or not?” She smiled.

 

“No, not… not yet at least,” Dean said sheepishly.

 

“Not yet?” Jess leaned forward. Great, Dean could basically hear the chorus of “Tell me more, tell me more” like he was in friggin Grease. 

 

“Well, yesterday, I asked him out and he gave me his number.”

 

Jude gasped. “So you are going to kiss Mr. Cas, right?”

 

“I don’t know, Judey,” Dean said, kissing the top of her head.

 

Jess’ eyes sparkled. “Aww that’s so sweet!”

 

“When’s the date?” Sam grinned, his eyebrows raised.

 

“I haven’t even called him yet. I was thinking maybe I would later today.”

 

“You better do it Dean, I’m going to call and check that you did it!” Jess proclaimed, her hand tightening around Sam’s forearm.

 

“Jess, you’re crushing my arm.”

 

Jess mouthed an “oh” and let go, blushing. 

 

“Well,” Sam stood up. “We better get going. Jess has to see a doctor.”

 

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” Dean got up with Jude in his arms. “Have, uh, fun?”

 

Sam laughed. “We will.” He wrapped his arm around Jess’ and headed out the door into the bright and sunny Spring air.

 

-

 

 _Pick up, pick up, pick up_ \- oh - “Hello, um, Cas?”

 

“Dean,” Cas replied, his voice sounding happy.

 

Dean pressed the phone closer to his ear. “I was wondering if you were up for a date later today at… 7:30? We could go take a walk in the park and then go to this ice-cream shop I know. It’s nice out today.”

 

“That’d be nice. 7:30 it is. Who’s gonna watch Jude?”

 

 _Shit._ Dean had not thought this through. “Um, my brother.”

 

It was silent. Dean had thought that Cas had seen through his lie (but in reality Cas was blushing hard, his heart was beating fast, and a smile tugged away at his lips). 

 

“G-great! Meet you there at 7:30, Dean.”

 

“Bye.”

 

“Bye.”

 

Dean brought the phone down onto the counter and pumped his fist into the air. He grinned and quickly dialed Sam and Jess for two reasons - to ask if they could watch Jude, and to prove a point. 

 

“Hello?” Jess had answered the phone.

 

“Can you guys watch Jude at seven?”

 

“Huh? Why?”

 

“I have a date,” Dean said proudly, “with that guy.”

 

“Really?” she shrieked. “Of course we’ll watch Jude!”

 

“Thanks Jess. Tell Sam I said hi.”

 

“Sure thing,” Jess replied, “bye Dean.” She hung up. 

 

Dean consulted his daughter. “Jude? Jude honey?”

 

“Daddy!” She screeched.

 

“You’re gonna go to Aunt Jess and Uncle Sam’s house later, okay?”

 

“Okay Daddy,” Jude jumped a little. “Why am I going?” She tilted her little head, a Barbie doll in her hand.

 

“M -” Dean, you can tell her the truth. She’s four years old, she’s a big girl. “- Mr. Cas and I are going to go to the park.”

 

She laughed. “Why would you go to the park with Mr. Cas?”

 

“So…” Dean smirked, “... so I can kiss him!” He laughed and poked her stomach.

 

“You’re gonna _kiss_ Mr. Cas?” She gasped, “Without me?”

 

“Maybe another time I’ll kiss him with you.”

 

“Okay!” Jude looked down. “Wait when am I going to Uncle Sam’s house?”

 

“In a couple hours. You can go pack your backpack with stuff you want to bring to their house.”

 

Jude nodded and skipped off to her bedroom, shutting the door. 

 

Dean shook his head and let out a sigh.

 

-

 

Jude walked up to Sam and Jess’ front door, Dean following close behind. Sam and Jess greeted the two.

 

“Good luck, Dean,” they said at the same time.

 

“Bye Daddy! Kiss Mr. Cas!” Jude yelled.

 

Dean’s face turned red. He turned around and mumbled something, getting into his car. Dean’s knee bounced up and down as he drove to the park. He looked at the pathway through the forest and saw all the happy couples laughing and talking and exchanging kisses. Dean found a parking space right away and ran right to a bench. He texted Cas.

>   
> **From: Dean**  
>  To: Cas  
>  cas meet me by the bench near angel street.  
> 

Dean awaited a reply. He stared at the tree branches blowing in the wind until finally his phone buzzed.

>   
> **From: Cas**  
>  To: Dean  
>  Okay, Dean. I am sorry for being late.  
> 

Dean texted right away.

>   
> **From: Dean**  
>  To: Cas  
>  no problem! :)  
> 

After ten minutes of twiddling his thumbs and tapping his shoes on the ground, Cas arrived wearing light blue dress shirt.

 

“Hello, Dean.”

 

“Cas!” Dean stood up, checking him out. _What should he do? Shake his hand? No, that’s too boring. Hug him? Woah, easy tiger. You guys, like, just met._ Dean did nothing. He stuck his hands in his pocket. “Wanna walk around? We can talk and stuff.” 

 

“Talk and stuff,” Cas repeated to himself.

 

“What?”

 

“Oh, nothing.”

 

Dean moved his hand from his pocket and grabbed Cas’. Cas was quick to respond and tangled his fingers with his. “Is this okay?” Dean asked, his stomach feeling weird. 

 

“Of course, Dean.”

 

They started to walk. “So, tell me about your family.”

 

Cas swallowed. “Well, I have a couple brothers that live around here - Lucifer, Gabriel, and Michael,” he looked down. “And, uh, you know Anna? Yeah, she’s my cousin.”

 

“Wow really?” Dean replied. He smiled up at Cas.

 

Cas nodded. “How about you?”

 

“Oh, me?” Dean chuckled. “Well, I got a brother named Sam. Our Uncle Bobby and Aunt Ellen raised us after my mom died in a fire and my dad couldn’t really take care of us anymore after that. He was too traumatized or something. I haven’t talked to him in years.”

 

“What about Jude?” Cas asked very quietly. His head tilted and it reminded Dean of Jude.

 

“My former girlfriend Lisa got pregnant a-and it was an accident,” Dean stopped walking to make it easier to explain. “A couple days after she was born, Lisa was gone and I was left with Jude.”

 

Cas let go of Dean’s hand and looked down. He had thought that he had it bad with his parents constantly fighting when he was a child. Here was Jude, raised by a single father - a single father who wasn’t even raised by his own parents - doing just fine, a bright smile on her face every time she skipped into daycare, “I- I don’t know what to say. I am very sorry, Dean.”

 

“Don’t be, Cas,” Dean tilted Cas’ chin up. He realized how Cas’ blue eyes glowed in the orange sunset. It was near the end of spring and cicadas were just beginning to start buzzing. “I’ve been fine with Jude so far. And we’re four years in. I just worry for her teenage years.”

 

Cas smiled weakly. “I know, I just feel bad.”

 

“You’re really caring, Cas. I like that about you,” Dean took ahold of Cas’ hand again and continued to lead him down a path to an ice-cream shop.

 

“Thank you,” Cas said, following Dean. “What’s this ice-cream place called?” 

 

“It’s called The Roadhouse,” Dean slowed down so Cas could catch up. “My aunt and my cousin own it so I’m pretty sure I could talk them into getting us ice-cream for free.”

 

Cas chuckled. “That’d be nice. I haven’t had ice-cream in quite a while.”

 

“Really?” Dean said, “You’ll be blown away by the ice-cream here, man.” They approached the small ice-cream shop which was overflowing with people. Dean and Cas weaved their way through the crowd of people and found their way to the ice-cream.

 

“Dean? Is that you?” A young blonde woman asked.

 

Dean looked to where the voice was coming from. “Hey Jo. Do you think you could get me and my _date_ a deal.”

 

Jo looked over to Cas and smiled. She mouthed “Nice!” to Dean. “I think I could get you guys one - just one - scoop of ice cream in a cup on the house. Is that alright?”

 

“Thank you Jo, you’re a saint!” Dean turned his head to get a look at Cas. “D’you know what you want?”

 

Cas hesitated. “I think I’ll just get plain chocolate.”

 

“Aw c’mon! No cookies ‘n cream?”

 

“I’m alright,” Cas’ ears turned pink. He went up to Jo and ordered his plain chocolate while Dean ordered the Rocky Mountain. They both thanked Jo and headed back outside where it was less crowded. 

 

“You havin’ fun, Cas?” Dean asked, slurping up his ice-cream.

 

Cas took a spoonful out of the cup. “Yeah, the most fun I’ve had in a while, actually,” he smoothed out his hair with his hand.

 

Dean smiled. 

 

-

 

By the end of the night when Dean and Cas had finished their ice-cream and were walking back to their cars, Cas spoke up. “Thanks again, Dean.”

 

“Oh, yeah, no problem at all,” Dean leaned against the rough bark of a tree trunk.

 

Cas stood in front of him, his hands in his pockets. He leaned forward and kissed Dean.

 

Dean leaned into the kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm going to end it here because i'm not quite sure how to continue this. damn writers' block.


End file.
